


check my vital signs

by peachsneakers



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Cuddling, Dukexiety - Freeform, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Panic Attacks, Remus typical stuff, Self-Harm, Sympathetic Remus Sanders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2019-08-26
Packaged: 2020-09-27 00:44:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20398882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachsneakers/pseuds/peachsneakers
Summary: Virgil's having a bad night.





	check my vital signs

It's a bad day. Thomas oversleeps and then forgets his wallet at the grocery store and has to go back. (Thankfully, nothing's been taken.) He makes awkward small talk with a stranger that screams _Danger!_ from every pore. Virgil is on a hair trigger, twitching so badly he finally takes to hiding in his room.

He tiptoes his way down the stairs late, desperate for some kind of snack to distract himself, when he hears voices from the living room. Almost against his will, Virgil can't help but listen.

"Today was a bad day, huh? I don't understand what's up with Virgil today. Thomas is miserable. He-"

Virgil swallows and darts up the stairs before he can hear the rest ("-must be feeling awful, how can we help?"). Before he even knows what he's doing, he's on his knees, razor blade in one hand and a handful of messy red lines scrawled across his wrist.

"Fuck," he whispers, his throat dry. He promised Remus he wouldn't hurt himself anymore. He _promised. _His breathing hitches as he stares at the blood welling from his wrist, dripping on the carpet and the hem of his jeans. _He's going to leave you,_ his mind yammers. _He can't trust you. You stupid fuck up. You should do it more. You already fucked up, you might as well-_

"Virgey?" Remus, at the door, and Virgil tries to hide it, but he can't, not when he's been caught with razor still quite literally in hand. "_Virgil!_" Remus exclaims, dragging Virgil up to his feet. "Oh, you're bleeding a lot, aren't you, it looks like paint, did you know that, but paint doesn't smell like pennies, I wonder what would happen if you dipped a lot of pennies in blood-"

"You aren't doing that with my blood," Virgil protests weakly. Remus cackles, pulling Virgil into his attached bathroom.

"Sit," he orders, pointing at the toilet. Virgil perches on the lid, watching his boyfriend with wary eyes. He just pulls out the first aid kit from beneath the sink.

"I don't think you need stitches," Remus says, peering doubtfully down at Virgil's arm.

"I don't trust you to stitch me up, anyway," Virgil says. "No offense." Remus grins.

"None taken," he says cheerfully. "This is gonna sting a lot and I wanna swab my eyeballs, do you think Deceit would mind if I-"

"Yes," Virgil interrupts. "Just... Get it over with, please?"

Remus is surprisingly gentle as he dabs away the blood, following it with an alcohol swab (which does sting, but not as much as Virgil expects). Remus follows it up with a giant band-aid, just large enough to cover all the wounds without the adhesive catching on any raw, open skin. He seals the edges deftly and pulls Virgil's hoodie sleeve down.

"There you go," he says. 

Virgil opens his mouth, intending to thank him, but instead bursts into tears. 

"Virge?" Remus exclaims, alarmed. "Babe, what's wrong?"

"I- I broke my promise," Virgil manages to say, his voice wobbly. "I promised I wouldn't do it anymore, I-"

"And at the time, I told you I didn't need you to promise me that," Remus says, unexpectedly serious. He leans forward, holding Virgil's hands in his. His fingers are cool. "I don't want you to beat yourself up every time you slip up, Virge. You don't expect that of _me_ with my impulsive bullshit. I'd _never_ hold you to some impossible standard."

"I don't want to do it, though," Virgil hiccups. Remus gently wipes away the tears staining his cheeks, then meditatively licks off his fingers.

"I know," he says. "But it's okay if you slip up and do it anyway. I won't hate you. I could never hate you."

"The others-" Virgil begins, remembering what prompted this in the beginning. His stomach crawls with shame.

"Sent me up here to check on you," Remus fills in. "They're really worried about how you're holding up today. Since Thomas had such a bad day and all."

"They... What?" Virgil asks, disbelieving. "But I-"

"It's true," Remus insists. "Patton wanted me to ask if you wanna make cookies with him later."

A quiet warmth fills Virgil's chest and he smiles tentatively.

"Yeah," he says. "But uh... Can we cuddle first? If that's okay?"

Remus picks him up, carrying him over to the bed.

"Sure!" He says, then gloms onto Virgil like one of the octopuses he loves so much.

Virgil can't help but smile.

**Author's Note:**

> i miiiight have written this instead of following in virgil's footsteps whoops


End file.
